State officials in Iraq ‘too young,’ ‘not qualified.’
State officials in Iraq ‘too young,’ ‘not qualified.’
“Ryan C. Crocker, the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, bluntly told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a cable dated May 31 that the embassy in Baghdad — the largest and most expensive U.S. embassy — lacks enough well-qualified staff members and that its security rules are too restrictive for Foreign Service officers to do their jobs.”
The unclassified cable underscores the State Department’s struggle to find its role in the turmoil in Iraq. With a 2007 budget of more than $1 billion and a staff that has expanded to more than 1,000 Americans and 4,000 third-country nationals, the embassy has become the center of a bureaucratic battle between Crocker, who wants to strengthen the staff, and some members of Congress, who are increasingly skeptical about the diplomatic mission’s rising costs. [...]
“He’s panicking,” said one government official who recently returned from Baghdad, adding that Crocker is carrying a heavy workload as the United States presses the Iraqi government to meet political benchmarks.
“You could use a well-managed political section of 50 people” who know what they are doing, the official said, but Crocker does not have it because many staffers assigned to the embassy are “too young for the job,” or are not qualified and are “trying to save their careers” by taking an urgent assignment in Iraq.
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“Have y’all graduated from a-credited university?”
“Huh?”
“Do you love George Bush like you love the Baby Jesus?”
“Huh?”
“Con-gradulashuns, you are now the ambassador to I-raq.”
“Huh?”
June 19th, 2007 at 12:30 amRegents grads?
Regence grads?
Oy…one of them….
June 19th, 2007 at 12:33 amCleaning the pool is a matter of national security.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:34 amLiberty and Regent grads only need apply.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:39 amThe epitome of incompetence.
may be too young and inexperienced and do not know jack shit
but they are all little loyal bushnazi reich wing brown shirt christianists !!!!
June 19th, 2007 at 12:44 amCleaning the pool is a matter of national security.
Comment by Juan C
With the shirt off….
June 19th, 2007 at 12:44 amKeep it clean, mistress Z!~!
June 19th, 2007 at 12:47 amThe pool, that is, thanky maam.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:48 amWith the shirt off….
Comment by Zooey
What are we talking about here? :}
June 19th, 2007 at 12:52 amYou’re not calling me “ma’am,” right RUC? :D
June 19th, 2007 at 12:52 amWhat are we talking about here? :}
Comment by Juan C
I ain’t drawing a picture, Juan….
I’m too busy supervising…the shirtless pool guy.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:54 amLOL, Zooey doesn’t like the ma’am label!!!
June 19th, 2007 at 12:56 amI’m too busy supervising…the shirtless pool guy.
Comment by Zooey
mmm…yeah. I mean, yukkkkk!!! :D
June 19th, 2007 at 1:02 amIf I had a pool I would have a poolgirl.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:06 ammmm…yeah. I mean, yukkkkk!!! :D
Comment by Juan C
**snort**
June 19th, 2007 at 1:08 amIf I had a pool I would have a poolgirl.
Comment by JPark
Just one? :D
June 19th, 2007 at 1:09 amWell, they’re probably trying to set up Iraq similar to the government they set up over here….. right?
June 19th, 2007 at 1:12 amI am a one poolgirl kinda guy :)
June 19th, 2007 at 1:12 amHmmmmmm……”Not Qualified?”….gee…where have we heard THAT before?
June 19th, 2007 at 1:13 amI am a one poolgirl kinda guy :)
Comment by JPark
I always knew that about you, JPark. :-)
Goodnight!
June 19th, 2007 at 1:19 amIf I had a pool I would have a poolgirl.
Comment by JPark
Imagine what we could do with a big pool…
June 19th, 2007 at 1:19 amNight Zoo!!
June 19th, 2007 at 1:20 amHonestly, Juan, underwater is not the best!!
June 19th, 2007 at 1:21 amImagine what we could do with a big pool…
Comment by Juan C
Bah! I am as sharp as spoon. Im going to sleep. Take care everybody.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:23 amunderwater is not the best!!
Comment by JPark
I wont ask… :]
June 19th, 2007 at 1:25 amHeh, night Juan.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:33 amThis has been a problem for a LONG time. I remember the story of a 24 year old put in charge of supervising the writing of the Iraqi constitution. He thought that they shouldn’t include the concept of judicial review because it might lead to abortions. The Iraqis that had to work with him hated every minute of it because they could see how stupid he was.
June 19th, 2007 at 2:15 amAre you kidding me, Alejandro??? Judicial review bad because of Roe v. Wade. Never mind. I am not surprised at these a holes.
June 19th, 2007 at 2:35 amWell, they’re probably trying to set up Iraq similar to the government they set up over here….. right?
Comment by BARTLEBEE
Not only that, but any one would fit the job if they were for signing the oil contract – the stealing of the oil, 30% for Iraq and 70% for the oil corporations.
June 19th, 2007 at 2:39 amThe new massive US Embassy in Baghad is a huge white elephant, and humongous boondoggle, but Crocker does not understand its purpose to be a den of thieves to coordinate the stealing of Iraq’s OIL reserves.
June 19th, 2007 at 4:17 amError in post 30: Baghdad not Baghad > typo.
June 19th, 2007 at 4:18 amThat Iraq Embassy pool is named after Grover Norquist because they’re drowning our government in it.
June 19th, 2007 at 6:23 amWhose portrait done in mosaic tile did they put on the bottom of the pool?
June 19th, 2007 at 8:27 am“Third country nationals” outnumber Americans four to one at a United States embassy?
What the hell are they doing?
American embassies are supposed to be staffed by Americans — that’s the whole point of having an embassy. But if it isn’t, then the question becomes, what are the 1,000 Americans doing there? Why not replace the lot with the lower-priced “third country nationals” and have done with it.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:45 am